Roseburg man crashes into telephone pole, suffers minor injuries

Clint Smith of Roseburg Towing removes some branches near an overturned Ford F-250 truck Friday evening in the 5000 block of Northeast Stephens. Witnesses say the driver was seen swerving in the southbound lane before crashing into a telephone pole. Deputies say alcohol doesn't appear to be a factor in the crash.

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WINCHESTER — A single-vehicle accident Friday afternoon brought down phone lines and reduced traffic to one lane for several hours in the 5000 block of Northeast Stephens Street.

Witnesses reported seeing the vehicle, a white Ford F-250, traveling south and swerving before it hit a guardrail, flipped on its side and crashed into a telephone pole and trees at about 3:50 p.m., Douglas County sheriff’s deputies said.

John Cain, 64, of Roseburg, refused to be taken by ambulance to a hospital and was being treated at the scene. He is believed to have suffered minor injuries, deputies said.

Charles Karn, 48, said he and another man, who witnessed the crash, broke out the vehicle’s windshield to try to rescue the driver.

“We had to get him out. There was gas leaking and power lines were down,” Karn said. “He was disoriented. We kept telling him to cover his face.”

Paramedics arrived shortly after and took over, he said.

Deputy Shawn Riesen said Cain did not remember what happened before the accident. Cain told deputies he was driving the speed limit when he left the road and hit the tree and pole.

He may have suffered a medical emergency, Riesen said.

Another witness, Kim Fairbanks, 52, said she was in her trailer at the Pinewood Mobile Park with her mother and friend when she heard a boom and saw branches fly by her windows.

A wood fence separated her trailer from the wreckage.

“Everybody is lucky,” she said. “This is just a shock.”

Fairbanks said she was unsure if any of the branches damaged her trailer.

Deputies said they are still investigating the cause of the accident, but that alcohol did not appear to be a factor.

The southbound lane remained closed as crews replaced the telephone pole and the truck was towed from the scene.

The downed telephone pole did not affect phone service, said Ryan Knecht, area plant supervisor for CenturyLink.

Douglas County Fire District No. 2, Pacific Power and Roseburg Towing also assisted at the scene.